A 6-month accelerator for TRL 6+ defense and dual-use startups that have proven performance in operational or combat-like environments, and are ready to expand into U.S., European, Indo-Pacific, and allied markets.
Hosted with SRI International in Silicon Valley, connecting you to a trusted ecosystem spanning DARPA-adjacent research, DIU-style pathways, NATO-aligned stakeholders, primes, and allied DoD networks.
Register to Join Cohort IIIWatch Highlights From Cohort I, and Hear Directly From the Teams Who Shaped It.
See How Founders Strengthened Their Narrative, Partnerships, and Fundraising Through DTSA
Meet Our Alumni →What “Beast Mode” Means at DTSA
If your startup meets these criteria and is TRL 6+ with operational validation, you are ready to go Beast Mode with DTSA.
We are looking for visionary teams tackling mission-critical challenges across:
Exceptional Teams May Be Considered — if your startup is building the future of defense and dual-use technology, you are in the right place.
DTSA operates in strategic partnership with SRI International, connecting battle-tested teams with trusted experts, strategic partners, and real-world defense markets.
Positioning, partner meetings, and a high-trust ecosystem gateway, hosted with SRI International.
Sharpen your strategy, narrative, GTM, negotiation, export compliance, and leadership, built for defense and dual-use realities.
Structured access to primes, defense-focused investors, allied stakeholders, operators, mentors, and R&D partners.
Our world-class, comprehensive program is designed to address the unique challenges deep-tech security startups face.
Online program focused on pitch preparation and onboarding, so you arrive ready for the residency and execution track.
In-person working immersion: trainings, workshops, curated meetings, and ecosystem access designed to accelerate market entry.
Ongoing support with expert mentoring, partner and investor follow-ups, and milestone tracking to help you scale effectively.
Six tracks delivered during the Silicon Valley Residency, March 8–20, 2027.
Silicon Valley innovation culture, SRI’s NABC value framework, and Lean Startup.
Tech commercialization, sales, and AI-powered U.S. go-to-market strategy.
Think like a VC: fundraising, Series A readiness, IP & legal, and pitch practice.
Agile prototyping, AI, autonomy, imaging systems, and tech scouting with SRI experts.
Government contracting, ITAR, and sessions with NATO, DARPA, DIU, and primes.
Team dynamics, negotiation, change management, leadership, and future forecasting.
DTSA is designed for founders and senior leaders who can make strategic decisions and fully engage in the program. The ideal representative is:
The participant must be able to represent the technology and its operational validation, engage with investors and primes, and act on strategic decisions during and after the program. If the attendee cannot make decisions, the program won’t deliver its full value.
Fully covered by the Ukrainian Alumni Fund and supporting donors. Participants cover only travel and accommodation.
Program fee available upon request. Participants cover travel and accommodation.
Only operationally validated startups, no idea-stage noise, with frontline-derived learning loops and direct access to Ukrainian founders and engineers operating under the world’s most demanding conditions.
Curated connections to primes, investors, allied stakeholders, and R&D partners, combined with integrated technical, commercial, and regulatory guidance.
Six months of execution-focused support, beyond one-week events, designed for deployment, partnerships, and market expansion.
We accelerate companies already building, not companies still imagining.
The DTSA Silicon Valley Residency is designed to give you a clear understanding of how the U.S. defense market operates, how to navigate it, and how to position your company for successful integration into the American defense ecosystem.
Throughout the program, we bring together leading experts, industry practitioners, investors, and decision-makers who can share firsthand knowledge and experience.
During the residency, you will have the opportunity to meet:
Beyond expert sessions, the program includes Demo Day and networking mixers.
At our Demo Day, we invite investors, international delegations, government representatives, and other key stakeholders to discover the participating companies and explore potential opportunities for cooperation.
Through our networking mixers, you will connect with the local Silicon Valley ecosystem, expand your professional network, and develop relationships that may lead to future partnerships.
Equally important, DTSA is built around creating a trusted environment within each cohort. You will spend two weeks alongside exceptional founders and fellow defense innovators, exchanging experiences, discussing challenges, learning from one another, and building relationships that extend far beyond the residency.
No, DTSA does not take any equity in participating companies.
DTSA was established at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a mission-driven initiative to help Ukrainian defense companies integrate into the Silicon Valley ecosystem and enter the U.S. market.
Initially, the program was designed exclusively for Ukrainian companies. Since then, we have expanded our mission and now also welcome international teams interested in collaborating with Ukrainian defense innovators and seeing the U.S. market as an opportunity to scale their businesses.
Our commitment to supporting Ukrainian defense innovation remains unchanged, which is why participation fees are waived for Ukrainian companies.
Following our first cohort, we established the DTSA Alumni Fund, which allows our alumni companies to voluntarily contribute to support future cohorts and create similar opportunities for the next generation of defense innovators.
These contributions are entirely voluntary and not required for participation.
Our team brings deep expertise across technology, defense, and venture building, backing founders with the insight and experience to move fast and build right.
If your technology is validated in real-world conditions and you are ready to scale into allied markets, DTSA BEAST Mode is your execution track.
